As he climbed the steps laid with pieces of bluestone, Lu Ren gasped for breath, step by step ascending.
Sweat streamed down Lu Ren's forehead as he looked up at the distant mountain gate, estimating there were still over a hundred steps to go, a bitter expression on his face.
"The fact that one of the four major sects of the Jiangyun Nation built the mountain gate so high is really something!"
Lu Ren couldn't help but grumble.
In his previous life, he was a hot-blooded youth from Earth who, due to accidentally eating Mapo Tofu, was accidentally killed by Mapo's husband, and had come to this Xuanhuang Continent.
It wasn't just a soul crossing, it was his entire body and soul that crossed together.
It took Lu Ren three days to gradually accept this fact, and at the same time he found himself strangely excited about this new world.
As a hot-blooded youth, he was always interested in bizarre things, so coming to this world of martial cultivation, he hoped that one day he would become an unparalleled expert.
Moreover, being an orphan and single, he had no attachments and saw it as a new life.
Furthermore, when he crossed over, he had a nameless pagoda on him, which he had picked up from a flea market.
The pagoda was made of ancient bronze and was only the size of a finger.
When he played with it, the pagoda mysteriously drilled into his body, followed by a grey-white light, a strong suction force enveloping his entire body.
The heavens spun and the earth rotated, as Lu Ren felt himself entering a spherical space.
This space was chaotic.
After pondering for several months, Lu Ren finally deduced one ability of the nameless pagoda.He felt that the pagoda seemed to be a time-storage treasure, as long as he entered it, time would pass as he used it, no matter how much time he used, it seemed like only one second had passed in the outside world.
As for whether this pagoda had any side effects or limitations, Lu Ren didn't care. This meant he had countless hours for cultivation. He could cultivate for as long as he wanted.
But in this world, in order to cultivate, one must open up the meridians. Those with strong talent can open up their meridians directly, while those with weaker talent need to take Meridian Opening Pills.
Lu Ren, being from Earth, had very poor insight and talent in cultivation, so he had to rely on Meridian Opening Pills to open up his meridians.
The simplest and most direct way to obtain Meridian Opening Pills was to join a sect.
Lu Ren tried to join a few small sects, but was rejected due to his talent.
Later, Lu Ren learned that one of the four major sects, Qingyun Sect, was recruiting disciples, so he crossed mountains and rivers to try his luck.
But before he reached the mountain gate, he was almost exhausted and nearly died!
After resting for a moment, Lu Ren continued to climb the steps and finally reached the mountain gate after the time it takes to burn an incense stick.
Lu Ren lay on the ground panting for a few breaths, then lifted his heavy feet and rushed into the mountain gate, arriving at a huge square.
The square, which could accommodate thousands of people, was already crowded with a crowd.
Lu Ren looked at the tall and imposing figure and gave up on the idea of squeezing in. Instead, he stood alone at the back, looking towards the high platform in the distance.
On the high platform of the square stood a middle-aged man in a black robe, with a stern face that made people dare not look directly at him.
"I am Zhu Tie, the elder in charge of this entrance examination. I will conduct the entrance examination for you. I won't waste words. Our Qingyun Sect's entrance examinationThe voice continued, "Bloodlines are divided into nine ranks, with the first rank being the lowest and the ninth rank being the highest. Above the ninth rank is the legendary Divine Bloodline. The higher the rank of the bloodline, the higher the talent and potential. As long as a bloodline of the fourth rank or higher is detected, you can enter our Qingyun Sect!"
With a majestic tone, four new disciples carried a massive green stone tablet and placed it on the high platform.
The green stone tablet, standing at ten feet tall, displayed eleven marks. The first mark was gray, followed by ten blood-red marks.
"This is the Advanced Bloodline Testing Tablet. Each blood-red mark represents a rank of bloodline, from one to nine. If all ten marks light up, it signifies a Divine Bloodline," the voice explained.
"Perhaps, I possess the qualifications of a Divine Bloodline!"
...
Many young men and women were extremely excited.
Those who dared to participate in the Qingyun Sect's entrance examination had almost all had their bloodline ranks tested by their families. However, their family's testing tablets were only basic, capable of detecting up to the fourth rank of bloodlines.
Standing alone on the side, Ren couldn't help but ask a young man in front of him, "Hey, genius, what does the gray mark on the testing tablet mean?"
Hearing Ren calling him a genius, the young man instantly felt a great fondness for Ren's plain appearance and patiently explained, "That gray mark is said to indicate a useless bloodline that cannot cultivate. It is rumored to hinder cultivation progress and may even lead to disabilities. It's known as a trash bloodline!"
Upon hearing this, Ren didn't hesitate and turned to leave.
He had been eliminated from the entrance examination several times due to failing the bloodline test. The situation on the Qingyun Sect's testingThe stone tablet was so precise, he was even less likely to pass the assessment.
Whoosh!
Just at that moment, a graceful figure descended from the sky and landed next to Elder Zhu Tie.
The woman was dressed in a white long dress, with exquisite features, cold eyes, a strong aura, and an ethereal demeanor.
For a moment, all eyes were on the woman, their faces showing admiration.
"Isn't that Yun Qingyao, the Saintess of our Jiangyun Kingdom? I heard she is a seventh-grade bloodline, with astonishing talent, and reached the Divine Sea realm at a young age, becoming an elder of the Qingyun Sect!"
"Yun Qingyao is an elder, why is she here? Could she be looking to take on disciples?"
Many men and women whispered to each other.
"Elder Yun, you are finally taking on disciples. This batch of talents seems promising this year. Perhaps we might uncover a genius with a sixth-grade bloodline!" Elder Zhu Tie smiled slightly.
Yun Qingyao ignored Zhu Tie, took a step forward, and slowly said, "Today, I am going to take on a disciple!"
As soon as she finished speaking, everyone present became excited.
This was Yun Qingyao, the Saintess of Jiangyun Kingdom, with incredible talent. If one could become her disciple and receive her personal guidance, they would surely soar to great heights.
"However, I will only take on disciples with a bloodline grade below second-grade. Among you all, whoever has a bloodline below second-grade can become my disciple!"
Ignoring the reactions of the crowd, Yun Qingyao continued.
"What? She will only take on disciples below second-grade bloodline? Am I hearing this right? Isn't she supposed to take on geniuses as disciples?"
"We, who have dared to participate in the assessment of Qingyun Sect, all have at least a fourth-grade bloodline, don't we"What about the bloodline above the second product?"
"If I have a bloodline below the second product, I shouldn't have the face to step into the Qingyun Gate!"
Listening to Yun Qingyao's words, countless men and women on the square seemed to hear something unbelievable.
Most ordinary people are mostly first or second product bloodlines. Even if they work hard for a lifetime, it is difficult to open their acupoints. Those with third, fourth, or fifth product bloodlines can use acupoint-opening pills to open their acupoints. Those with sixth product bloodlines can open their acupoints through their own efforts and can already be considered talents.
Below the second product bloodline, it is impossible to open the acupoints. What's the use of recruiting such people?
Elder Zhu Tie had a black face and glanced at Yun Qingyao next to him, saying, "Elder Yun, the sect requires you to take on a disciple. Are you just perfunctory to the sect?"
"The sect has not specified what kind of disciples I should take on. I, Yun Qingyao, prefer to do challenging things. What's the point of cultivating geniuses with fifth or sixth product bloodlines?"
"I only take on disciples below the second product bloodline. If I can't recruit them, the sect can't blame me!"
A trace of pride crossed Yun Qingyao's cold face.
Elder Zhu Tie's face turned white and blue, almost spitting blood out of anger.
This Yun Qingyao simply did not want to take on disciples and was focused solely on cultivation. If not for the pressure from the sect, she wouldn't have come here to take on disciples in the first place.
"If there are no people below the second product bloodline, then I will leave first!"
Seeing that no one stepped forward, Yun Qingyao smiled slightly and prepared to leave.
"Elder Yun, I should have a first-rate bloodline. Thank you for accepting me as your disciple!"
Just as Yun Qingyao was about to leave, she heard a voice from the crowd, her delicate body stiffening in surprise and anticipationHer face turned icy cold.
And others also widened their eyes, some couldn't believe that there were people with bloodlines below the second product participating in the Qingyun Gate's entrance assessment, and it was even a peerless waste with a first-rate bloodline.